Notes from the Quake Zone (Twenty-fifth in a Series)

(12 May 2016 Manabí Province, Ecuador)

by Hermann Schirmacher

First of all we are so glad for all your prayers and you becoming vital part of this endeavor to bring a bit of relief to the people of Ecuador who suffered with this 7.8-magnitude quake that rocked Ecuador’s coast on April 16. It killed hundreds and injured many thousands. The fear that people continue to have cannot be taken away with a candy bar, a medical visit or with a smile—even less with any kind of medicine on our 4-wheel drive pickup as we left this morning to join the military to bring donations and supplies to the people.

Dr. Nelson and Hermann Schirmacher with a patient in Manabí Province, Ecuador.

We went with two cars—as Dr. Coronel and Ralph would go back to Quito today—to the military base that is the collection and distribution point of supplies in the Canoa area.

When I talked to the soldier responsible, the trucks already did check out at the gate to leave. He helped me to write down the two routes the trucks would go. That did mean we had to split up the team quickly again. I handed the names of the places to Ralph as well as the box with medicines they would need to use. So they went to places like El Salto and Rio Canoa and we left for places like Zapallo, Rio Muchacho, Chorro de Agua Fria and Boca de Camarones.
On the road we did see all kinds of medical needs and handed out medicines as before. Most of the places we did see, people still sleep outside of their homes, some have abandoned their homes to go to safer places as the earth had many cracks.

[…] is Reach Beyond missionary Hermann Schirmacher of Quito, Ecuador’s capital city. He observed that “the fear that people continue to have cannot be taken away with a candy bar, a medical visit or w…but that hasn’t diminished his desire to help out. Since mid-April he has coordinated three […]